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Titus 2:14 - Do The Good Thing.

Titus 2:14 (NLT) He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

INTRODUCTION

The power to live as a Christian comes from the Holy Spirit. Because Christ died and rescued us from sin, we are free from sin's control. God gives us the power and understanding to live according to his will and to do good. Then we will look forward to Christ's wonderful return with eager expectation and hope. [Life Application SB]

COMMENTARY PEARL

Genuine faith always works by love. When you look to Calvary it is not to quiet your soul in the non-performance of duty, not to compose yourself to sleep, but to create faith in Jesus, faith that will work, purifying the soul from the slime of selfishness. When we lay hold of Christ by faith, our work has just begun. Every man has corrupt and sinful habits that must be overcome by vigorous warfare. Every soul is required to fight the fight of faith. If one is a follower of Christ, he cannot be sharp in deal, he cannot be hardhearted, devoid of sympathy. He cannot be coarse in his speech. He cannot be full of pomposity and self-esteem. He cannot be overbearing, nor can he use harsh words, and censure and condemn. The labor of love springs from the work of faith. [6BC1111]

COMMENTARY

   His name is David, and he may be the best looking 17-year-old I've ever seen - tall and blonde, with clear blue eyes and the biggest smile ever. Yet this is not what distinguishes him. It's the way he volunteered at not just one of our Joni and Friends' Family Retreats for disabled people, but two right in a row.
   He had a fantastic attitude about helping Michael, a tall, muscular kid with severe cerebral palsy. Everywhere Michael went, David was hot-on-his-heels. During Talent Night, the two of them dressed up as clowns and sang at the top of their lungs: "I'm not cool but that's okay, Jesus loves me anyway!" They were having a blast. David was simply doing what a volunteer should do. And doing it with zeal and passion.
   Titus 2:14 describes that passion: "Jesus redeemed us... to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Jesus did not save us to merely "do" good works; but to be passionate about doing them. He wants us to "have a blast" helping others.
   God has saved some to open medical clinics, run shelters for homeless people, work in Africa, write books, and speak from platforms. These constitute "good works." But for most, God has saved us to wipe the nose, prepare the dinner, run an errand for a sick neighbor, clean the toilet, drive a relative to a hospital, hold the Bible for, or even play chess with a lonely friend. Look around your church or neighborhood today - Jesus saved you to be excited about helping others. Just ask David.
   Lord Jesus, I don't want to perform good works as a duty; I want to be eager about serving others in your name. Help me to do that today. [Joni Eareckson Tada Daily Devotional: http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional]

CLOSING THOUGHT

   Joshua had recently prayed to ask Jesus to be his Savior and forgive his sins. When he heard about the church youth group, he figured it'd be a perfect way to grow in his new faith. Just one problem: the youth group usually started with some sort of competition. Dodgeball, kickball, capture the flag, duck-duck-goose - the game didn't matter, Josh was all about winning. Sometimes Josh's competitive juices took over, and he ended up cussing or pushing somebody. Every week he'd commit himself to not saying a bad word. Every game he'd fail. Finally, the youth pastor pulled Joshua aside and encouraged him to change his motivation. Instead of trying not to sin by avoiding bad language or getting too physical, he encouraged Josh to focus on doing something positive during the game.
   The following week Joshua decided he wanted to say three nice things to his teammates or opponents as they competed together. Not only did Josh's attitude and language improve, but the other kids also started to look forward to playing with him.
   What changed? When Joshua first attended youth group, he focused on not breaking one of God's laws. But as followers of Christ, we should strive to live according to his rules. Do you see the difference? Many Christians put so much effort into avoiding sin that they live rule-bound, joyless lives. God doesn't want us focused on what not to do, but on what he wants us to do. Our actions should change not only us, but also the people around us. When the youth pastor told Joshua to aim at doing good, it changed everything.
   In the book of Titus, the apostle Paul explains to his young friend why Jesus gave his life for us. Through Jesus' death, we're cleansed from sin and able to focus on doing good deeds (Titus 2:14). With Jesus in our lives, we're free from sin. The writers of the Bible used many different words to describe sin. The most frequently used one means 'missing the mark.' And we'll miss the mark if we focus on avoiding the bad things instead of doing good things. When we totally commit ourselves to doing good deeds and following God, we will live energized lives and avoid sin's trappings. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel]

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Titus 2:11-14 - The Basis of the Christian Life.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2006/20061002-1938.html

Ephesians 2:10 - Created in Christ Jesus to Do Good Works.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211211-0851.html

Matthew 25:31-46 - The Parable of The Sheep and Goats; The Final Judgment.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210524-1002.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/